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Rain Barrel Art and Community Projects |
VINS Art on a Rain Barrel Contest
This spring the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) is organizing an "Art on a Rain Barrel Contest". The top 30 entries will be invited to the VINS Nature Center in Quechee, VT to paint their design on Vermont Clean Water Day (May 15, 2010). Entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2010. Find more details about the Art on a Rain Barrel contest and download the official application at www.vinsweb.org/art-on-a-rain-barrel.html. Questions should be directed to 802-359-5000 x228 or artonarainbarrel@vinsweb.org. |
Rain barrels painted by Rice HS students sold in Williston
Since 2007, the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (WNRCD) and its partners have successfully implemented several rain barrel art and community projects in Washington and Chittenden Counties. The projects are modeled after a program initiated by Deb Perry from the Northwest Regional Planning Commission and Jeff Rouleau, who teaches science at Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, VT.
The WNRCD supplies rain barrels to middle and high schools and works with teachers and their students to paint the barrels and create an educational brochure for rain barrel recipients. Typically, art classes are selected to paint nature-inspired designs on the rain barrels, and science classes research the benefits and proper use of rain barrels and use this information to create an educational brochure. Once the rain barrels are painted and the brochures are completed, the WNRCD advertises a designated “rain barrel pick-up day” through distributing flyers in the community, either by placing ads in water bills or putting flyers in the front doors of targeted neighborhoods. On pick-up day, residents receive a rain barrel in exchange for a $25 donation to the WNRCD. All donations are used to fund additional rounds of the rain barrel project or other urban conservation projects in the area.
The goals of the rain barrels projects are to educate citizens about the causes and effects of stormwater, improve the water quality of our local waterways through reducing runoff from residential lots, help the community protect water quality while saving money on their water bill, and involve students in a “real world”, hands-on learning opportunity. In the past, projects have been tremendously successful; we sold out of rain barrels at all of the pick-up events that we’ve held and have created waitlists in numerous communities. |
What is a Rain Barrel?
A rain barrel is a 55-gallon recycled food-grade plastic barrel that is placed at the outlet of a roof gutter to catch snowmelt and rooftop runoff during a storm (referred to as “stormwater”). When stormwater runs off of impervious surfaces like roofs, parking lots, compacted soils, and roads, it accumulates fine sand, nutrients like phosphorus, bacteria from animal wastes, oil, grease and heavy metals from cars, and delivers these pollutants to nearby rivers and streams. Stormwater threatens the integrity of our drinking water source, the water quality of streams that we swim in, and the habitat of fish and other aquatic life. Rain barrels are an important part of the solution, as they intercept stormwater before it runs across the landscape and into our waterways. The stormwater collected in a rain barrel can be used to water lawns and gardens, thereby conserving water and protecting water quality.
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Steps to Implementing a Successful Community Rain Barrel Project
1. Secure funding.
The total cost of materials for 20 rain barrels (including the cost of the barrels themselves) is approximately $1,500. Rain barrels cost around $50 each (including delivery) and primer and paint for 20 barrels costs around $500. In addition, advertising for the event can range from $50 to $500 depending on printing and mailing costs.
2. Find an art and/or science teacher who would like to paint rain barrels with their class.
In the past, we’ve worked primarily with middle and high school aged students, as this project is most appropriate for those age groups. Art classes paint nature-inspired designs on rain barrels and science classes research rain barrels and create an educational brochure to educate homeowners who take home a barrel.
U32 art teacher painting barrel |
Barrel installed in Montpelier |
3. Purchase materials (rain barrels, primer, and paint) and deliver to school.
The WNRCD provides 10-30 rain barrels to a school. We purchase barrels from Jack’s Recycled Barrels in North Hero, VT (http://www.jackscomposters.com/). Other rain barrel sources in the area and online include the New England Rain Barrel Co. (www.nerainbarrel.com), Gardeners Supply (www.gardeners.com), and Rain Barrels and More (www.rainbarrelsandmore.com). You can also construct your own rain barrel (see directions on the Lake Superior website listed below). As a result of testing different paints and primers, we determined that Sherwin-Williams (there’s one in South Burlington) is the most durable for rain barrel projects. We prefer food-grade barrels, but they are harder to come by in bulk and are usually a little more expensive. Typically non-food grade barrels can be found for free (check in your local papers classifieds and/or beer breweries) but they must be carefully washed out.
4. Schedule a pick-up event and advertise the event in your community.
Our pick-up events are held on weekday evenings or weekends, typically at town hall, at the school, or the town’s Department of Public Works. The best way to advertise for the event is through water bills. Event announcements can also be placed in local newspapers or online listserves (Front Porch Forum), and flyers can be stuffed in the front doors of targeted neighborhoods. When advertising for the project it is critical to provide a check list of criteria that rain barrel recipients must meet to ensure that the rain barrels do not become lawn ornaments. Rather, we hope that the rain barrels will be actively used by residents and installed where they are needed most, in impaired and urban watersheds. For example, in a project in Williston, VT, community members had to meet the following criteria to receive a rain barrel: live in Williston, live in the Allen Brook Watershed, live in an urban area or next to a river, install the rain barrel within two weeks, and allow the WNRCD to take a photo of the rain barrel after it is installed.
5. Hold a rain barrel pick-up day!
Our events are first come, first serve, so we encourage those interested in purchasing a rain barrel to come early. When we are sold out of barrels, we begin a waitlist for future rain barrel events in that community.
6. Take photos of the installed barrels.
Once residents install rain barrels, we ask they sent us a photo of their newly installed rain barrel. Photos are great for grantors and for the WNRCD to ensure that the barrels are being used properly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I install my rain barrel?
- Prop up your rain barrel on cinder blocks (so that gravity will work to your advantage and water will drain from an attached hose or into a bucket).
- Put the small screen provided in the rainwater inlet at the top of your barrel to prevent mosquitoes from entering.
- Insert the overflow tube provided into the hole of the side of the barrel. Make sure to direct it away from your house, into your lawn.
- Saw or cut your cutter at the appropriate height.
- Purchase a plastic extension tube to connect your gutter to the rain barrel. These are inexpensive and can be found at garden centers (such as Gardener’s Supply) or local hardware stores.
- Disconnect your rain barrel for winter (see details below).
Do rain barrels breed mosquitoes?
No. If you use the screen provided to cover the rainwater inlet mosquitoes will not be able to enter the rain barrel. >
Do I need to disconnect my rain barrel in winter?
Generally, literature about rain barrels encourages homeowners to disconnect rain barrels during winter. To maximize the life of your rain barrel, you should:
- Disconnect the downspout prior to the first hard freeze and direct it away from your foundation so that precipitation doesn’t cause damage; and
- Drain the rain barrel, turn it upside down, and keep the spigot open.
CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) events, in which heavy storms cause untreated storm and wastewater to enter local waterways, rarely occur in winter. Thus, disconnecting your rain barrel for winter should not affect water quality in your community.
Homeowner using a rain barrel to water his garden
Where Has the WNRCD Initiated Rain Barrel Projects?
Projects have been successful in South Burlington, Montpelier, Essex, and Williston, partnering with Rice High School, U32 High School, Champlain Valley Union High School, and Essex Tech. In 2008-2009, we plan to expand our efforts and reach new communities within the Winooski River Watershed. In the fall of 2008, we plan to provide rain barrels to residents of Barre, South Burlington, Essex, and Winooski, partnering with Centerpoint School, Centerpoint Stepping Stones, and Champlain Valley Union High School.
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Rain Barrel Resources
Lynn Monty, “Pickle barrels become environmental icons”, Burlington Free Press, July 23, 2008: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080723/NEWS02/80722032/-1/MULTIMEDIA
Lake Superior Duluth Streams.org, Rain Barrels, http://www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/stormwater/toolkit/rainbarrels.html
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. Rain Barrels: Truth or Consequences. http://www.epa.gov/nps/natlstormwater03/32Sands.pdf
Smartwaterways, the Chittenden County stormwater website, http://www.smartwaterways.org/
For More Information
If you know of a middle or high school science or art teacher who would like to participate, please contact Justin Kenney either by phone at (802) 865-7895 Ext.104 or by email at justin.kenney@vt.nacdnet.net.
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We would like to thank the following organizations for their generous support, which made these projects possible:
Environmental Protection Agency
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
Merchants Bank Foundation, Inc.
The Oakland Foundation.
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U32 student painting rain barrel |
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